


Is that photoshop?

by genericfanatic



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-23
Updated: 2017-06-23
Packaged: 2018-11-18 03:31:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,962
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11282904
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/genericfanatic/pseuds/genericfanatic
Summary: Pidge catches her good friends Keith and Lance making out in front of a movie theater and can't believe her eyes! She thought they hated each other.





	Is that photoshop?

**Author's Note:**

> Mostly this fic comes from the idea that i know its a popular klance trope that all their friends know Keith and Lance like each other before they get together, but I wanted something to show everyone being shocked.

Pidge ran to hide behind a pillar. She couldn’t believe…but it was…but how could it be?

 

Maybe she saw wrong. Maybe they were just some people who looked like her friends.

 

She turned her head back around the corner. No, Keith’s mullet was distinctive, it was definitely him. And either he found Lance’s long lost twin or clone or something, or the other person was definitely Lance.

 

Their identities, however, completely clashed with their actions. Pidge knew both Keith and Lance very well, they were two of her closest friends, which is why it made no sense—no fucking sense!—why they were currently attached at the mouth.

 

Keith and Lance fought, it was just a fact of their existence. Sure, they were friends in their own weird way, but they mostly only interacted when they had their other friends around as a buffer. Or, Pidge thought they did. They certainly didn’t make out outside a movie theater.

 

Finally they separated, and smiled brightly at each other, and Pidge could practically see the little hearts over their heads. They looked like they were talking in low voices. Pidge took out her phone and managed to capture a pic just in time as the two kissed again, then took each other’s hands and walked out to the street.

 

Pidge jumped back behind the pillar and waited. The happy couple walked right past her, jumping onto Keith’s motorbike, Lance comfortably wrapping his arms around Keith’s waist.

 

Pidge took a deep breath, resuming her path to the bus stop. She had been delayed and had nearly missed the bus, but jumped on the last minute, taking a seat. She opened her phone and looked at the picture of Keith and Lance kissing. What should she do with this?

 

 **Cyberforest01:** HUNK HOLY FUCK

 **Cyberforest01:** [IMG attached]

 **Yellowstone:** pidge, i thought we talked about not photoshopping us anymore

 **Cyberforest01:** no photoshop, dude

 **Cyberforest01:** live footage

 **Cyberforest01:** #nofilter

 **Yellowstone:** what, so you just found a couple that looks like keith and lance?

 **Cyberforest01:** no, it was them

 **Yellowstone:** pidge, you didnt set them up for some cruel joke or something did you?

 **Cyberforest01:** what? no! why do you think this is my fault…

 **Yellowstone:** would you like my reasons alphabetically or chronologically?

 **Cyberforest01:** …

 **Cyberforest01:** i swear i was just walking past and…that!

 **Yellowstone:** …

 **Yellowstone:** ………

 **Yellowstone:** ……………

 **Yellowstone:** what the fuck?!

 **Cyberforest01:** NOW were on the same page

 **Yellowstone:** do you think it was some kind of bet? or maybe a prank on one or both of them?

 **Cyberforest01:** i don’t know. they seemed…happy

 **Yellowstone:** like, what do you mean?

 **Cyberforest01:** they were all touchy and smiley. like you and shay.

 **Yellowstone:** hey!

 **Cyberforest01:** just ask her out man

 **Yellowstone:** don’t change the subject. keith and lance…how? and when?

 **Yellowstone:** and kinda more importantly…why are they keeping it from us?

 **Cyberforest01:** i dont know…

 **Cyberforest01:** you think all the fighting was just a cover up?

 **Yellowstone:** no way

 **Yellowstone:** lance always comes to me to complain about keith

 **Yellowstone:** or, he did anyway

 **Yellowstone:** come to think of it he hasnt in a while.

 **Cyberforest01:** what do we do about it?

 **Cyberforest01:** do we confront them?

 **Yellowstone:** …not yet.

 **Yellowstone:** like, i wanna know but clearly they dont want to tell us

 **Yellowstone:** so like…not yet

 **Cyberforest01:** okay

 **Cyberforest01:** im at my stop talk to you later

 **Yellowstone:** bye

 

Hunk and Pidge decided to play it cool, and observe the two of them when the group went out bowling that Friday. Keith and Lance were always opposite each other. Directly opposite each other, something neither Hunk nor Pidge had noticed before.

 

Beyond that, everything seemed to be pretty normal. The both of them argued just as much as ever. Something about Keith going over the line while bowling his round, and Lance being the only one to see it.

 

As time went on, Pidge and Hunk relaxed, getting into the game. Hunk was starting to believe more and more it was just some strange dopplegangers Pidge had seen. But Pidge knew what she saw.

 

She was even more sure as she turned around after bowling her round and noticed both Keith and Lance were missing. She watched the area carefully, waiting.

 

Finally, she saw Lance step out of the bathroom, a smug smile on his face. Keith was still missing. “Hunk,” Pidge whispered, “Can you go into the boys bathroom and see who’s there?”

 

“What? No!” Hunk said.

 

“Please?” Pidge asked, “I have a theory I want to prove.”

 

“No, I’m not spying on our friends,”

 

“You had no problem going through my diary!” She whispered angrily.

 

“That was diff—“ He cut himself off as Lance came to put his stuff down.

 

“Hmm,” Lance said, smacking his lips, “I’m hungry, anyone else want something from the snack bar?”

 

“I’ll have a slice of pizza, if you’re taking orders.” Allura said, sitting down from her turn to bowl. It was now Keith’s turn, but he had not yet returned from the bathroom.

 

Lance saluted, taking his wallet and practically skipping away. “As you wish, princess.”

 

Allura aimed a bowling ball at his head, but Shiro grabbed her arm before she had the chance to throw it. Shiro went to go check the bathroom as they were all waiting.

 

Lance’s phone buzzed on the table. “Oh, Lance,” Allura said, calling over, “You forgot your—“ Allura glimpsed the phone and dropped it in surprise. Her eyes went wide like she had seen a ghost.

 

Pidge pounced on her instantly. “What? What was it?”

 

“Uhh…” Allura said, still coming to her senses. “Uh..noth—nothing. Nothing at all.”

 

“It was a text from Keith, wasn’t it?” Pidge said, accusing. Allura met her eyes, her surprise confirming Pidge’s guess.

 

“Pidge…” Hunk said, “maybe we should leave it alone…”

 

“Was it a nude?” Pidge asked.

 

Hunk squacked, and Allura gaped. “No!” She protested, just high and loud enough the next lane all turned to her. She lowered her voice to a whisper, “No it most certainly was not. It…it was just…lewd, is all…” Allura swallowed, shaking her head as though she could erase the memory from her head like an etch-a-sketch.

 

“I knew it…” Pidge said, turning on Hunk, “I TOLD you, they’re dating!”

 

Hunk grimaced. “We don’t know if it means something. Lance sends lewd messages to me all the time.”

 

“Keith doesn't, though,” Pidge said.

 

“Besides…” Allura said, “It wouldn’t…it wouldn’t be a message like this.” She turned up to Pidge, “How did you know?”

 

“I saw them, making out outside the movie theater.” She pulled up the photo she had sent Hunk and showed it to Allura.

 

Allura took a deep breath. “This is…this is…”

 

“Surprising?” Hunk said.

 

“Disgusting?” Pidge suggested.

 

“Shocking.” Allura said. “I just…I’ve often wondered whether two people in our friend group would end up dating. But…those two…”

 

“Those two what?” Shiro asked coming over. More importantly, coming with Keith in tow.

 

“Uhhhh….” Allura said, “Those two pins are causing me a lot of trouble. Damn you, seven and ten!” She raised her fist to the sky as Keith went to get a bowling ball for his turn.

 

“Smooth cover,” Pidge whispered to her.

 

“Shut up,” she whispered back.

 

Lance came striding up, “You’re pizza, princess,” he said, offering Allura the paper plate. Allura took it, smiling awkwardly.

 

Lance plopped down, his eyes on Keith. That in itself wasn’t completely conspicuous as Keith had just taken his first bowl. He knocked down four pins. “Ha! What’s wrong, Kogane, losing focus?” Lance barked at him.

 

Keith glared at him, while Pidge and Allura exchanged suspicious looks. Picking up another ball, Keith said, “How’s that pizza taste, McClain?”

 

Lance choked on the pizza he’d bitten into awkwardly, while Keith smirked, effortlessly knocking the remaining 6 pins for a spare.

 

Pidge leaned over to whisper to Allura and Hunk. “We need to talk about this.”

 

 

They gathered in Allura’s apartment, for fear of running into Lance at the place he, Hunk, and Pidge shared. Allura and Hunk sat on couches, watching as Pidge paced back and forth, a serious look on her face. “Alright, gang,” Pidge said, “Here’s what we know: Lance and Keith have developed some kind of relationship, one that has seemed to turn….sexual.”

 

“They could just be fuckbuddies,” Allura suggested.

 

“Their presence at the movie theater makes me believe otherwise,” Pidge said, continuing to pace. “So, the question becomes: what do we do about it?”

 

“Do we have to do anything?” Hunk said, leaning back, “I mean they’re dating…so, like, even if it’s weird…shouldn’t we be happy for them?”

 

Pidge turned on Hunk, “Don’t be so naïve, Garrett!” She yelled, putting him to attention, “Let me walk you through a scenario:” Pidge resumed her pacing, getting faster, “Keith and Lance are dating. Lance says something nice and vaguely flirtatious to someone pretty who walks by, because that’s practically second nature. Keith gets jealous and so turns sullen and silent, because that’s what’s second nature to him. Lance gets mad that his new boyfriend is being sullen and silent and not telling him why, or perhaps he does tell him, and Lance gets mad that Keith is being possessive. Then, Keith lashes out, because that’s what he does when someone is mad at him, he attacks. Lance, never one to back down from a challenge, especially from Keith, lashes back, and now we’ve got a full fight on our hands.”

 

“They fight all the time,” Hunk said, “They’re still friends.”

 

“This is different!” Pidge snapped, “Now their dating, every jab is more personal, every word more hurtful, and maybe they survive communicating through one or two fights, but sooner or later, they break up. Lance runs into his best friend Hunk’s arms, Keith into big brother Shiro’s. We can’t have anymore group outings, because then the two now-exes would have to see each other so Allura and I either divide our time or have to pick between one of my oldest friends and the guy who stepped in as my older brother when Matt went abroad and I can’t DO that, I—“

 

Allura was hugging her. Pidge wasn’t sure when Allura had stood up. More surprising were the pinpricks of tears in Pidge’s eyes which she didn’t notice before. Allura clutched her close, “You won’t have to choose, Pidge.” Pidge bowed her head into Allura’s shoulder. “No matter how selfish our boys are they won’t make you choose.”

 

“They won’t intentionally,” Pidge muttered, “I’ve been so scared…ever since we all started hanging out and they kept fighting that they’d break up the group. I thought we were finally past that point when they tolerated each other, but…but what if it becomes worse than I imagine?”

 

Allura clutched her tight, “It’ll be alright,” She said, “It’ll be alright, it’ll be alright.”

 

“Tell me,” Pidge said, lifting her head, “Do you think they’re good for each other?” Allura opened and closed her mouth, her non-answer all the confirmation Pidge needed. “That’s what I thought.”

 

“Well, what can we do about it?” Hunk asked, “If we break them up, it’ll just cause the exact problem we’re afraid of.”

 

Allura guides Pidge to sit on a couch. “Not if we do it carefully…” she said, “Not if we get them to break apart mutually, somehow, not out of anger, just…something else…”

 

“And how are we supposed to do that?” Hunk said, “We don’t even know what made Keith and Lance decide to date anyway.”

 

“What made Keith and Lance decide to WHAT?”

 

The three of them turned to the doorway where Shiro stood, a pizza box and a bag of m&ms in his hands, a shocked look on his face.

 

“Oh, Shiro!” Allura said, clutching her mouth, “I completely forgot about our movie night!”

 

“You two have a private movie night?” Hunk said, wondering if he was worrying about the wrong pair.

 

Shiro was still looking between the three of them. “What did you mean about the Keith and Lance?”

 

Allura, Hunk, and Pidge looked between each other awkwardly. Finally, Pidge fished her phone out and showed Shiro the picture of Keith and Lance at the movie theaters.

 

Shiro put down the pizza box and m&ms, studying the photo like one of those magazine puzzles ‘spot the 6 differences' or whatever. He looked at it, trying to fine a line of green screen, or photoshop edge, or a false shadow, anything that might determine the photo to be a fake. “This doesn’t mean—“

 

“I saw a text,” Allura added. “I didn’t mean to, but I saw a text Keith sent Lance. It was…very clear.”

 

Shiro turned his frown from the picture to her. “What did it say?”

 

Allura shook her head, “You don’t want to know.”

 

“Tell me what it said!” Shiro demanded. His voice was more desperate than mean.

 

Allura took a deep breath, looking him straight in the eye. “It said ‘I’ll be out in a minute, once I get back the soul you sucked out of my dick.’”

 

Hunk and Pidge’s eyebrows rose into their hairlines, as neither had heard the actual message before. Shiro sunk down into a chair, his jaw clenched. “You’re right, I didn’t want to know.”

 

He leaned forward and put his head in his hands. The other three exchanged looks for a minute. “Uhh…Shiro?” Hunk asked, “Are you okay?”

 

Shiro opened his mouth to answer, but quickly closed it again. “Why didn’t he tell me?” he finally asked no one in particular.

 

“I don’t know,” Pidge said, “Maybe they were embarrassed or something. The question remains, what do we DO about it?”

 

Shiro’s head shot up and he looked at Pidge, like he’d just noticed her. “Wait a minute…” He turned to Hunk. “You two are here…”

 

“Uh…yeah?” Hunk said, “We didn’t want to talk about Lance in our own apartment.”

 

“No, I mean,” Shiro swallowed, collecting his thoughts, “Keith said he was watching movies with you guys and Lance tonight. Over at your place.”

 

The room was silent as they all processed the new information. “They’re on a date…” Hunk whispered to the room.

 

No sooner had the words left Hunk’s mouth when Pidge was at the door, shoving her shoes on. “Pidge,” Allura said, “What are you doing?”

 

“Come on!” She said, beckoning them all to join her, “We have to go find them!”

 

 

“I can’t believe you have a tracker in Keith’s phone,” Hunk said from the back of Allura’s car.

 

Shiro shrugs from the front seat as Allura drives, following his directions. “Keith knows about it. Sometimes he goes on long bike trips to clear his head and forgets to answer his phone. So, the trackers to make sure he’s not kidnapped or dead somewhere.”

 

Pidge stared out the windows of the car. “There! It’s Keith’s motorcycle!”

 

They all jerked as Allura pulled the car to a stop, quickly parallel parking in the spot behind Keith’s bike.

 

They turned to the restaurant they were stopped in front of. It was, in a word: fancy. Maybe not the fanciest, and Allura had probably gone to better, but it was out of the norm certainly for broke college kids. It even had a dance floor.

 

“Can anyone see them?” Allura asked, searching the heads of the patrons.

 

“Got them!” Pidge said, not turned towards the restaurant, but rather on her laptop that she always carried with her. Allura and Shiro turned completely in their seats, and she turned the laptop so they could all see the security cam footage of the inside of the restaurant. Pidge magnified on two guests sitting in ill-fitting suits. Keith and Lance sat across from each other at the small table, looking up at a waiter filling their wine glasses.

 

“You know,” Hunk said, “Sometimes your hacking skills scare me.”

 

“Shh,” Pidge admonished, turning up the volume as the waiter left.

 

“To us,” Lance said, lifting his glass for a toast, “And to one successful non-killing-each-other month.”

 

Keith snorted, clinking his wine glass to Lance’s. The four gathered in the car looked at each other surprised. ‘A month?!’ Allura mouthed, astonished. “Where are you counting a month from? I count 3 weeks, if we’re being generous.”

 

“I was counting from our first kiss,” Lance said, right before taking a sip of his wine.

 

“Ahh,” Keith said, drinking his own wine, “After which we didn’t talk to each other for 3 days. Very romantic.”

 

“Hey!” Lance protested, “That was a really good kiss!”

 

Keith blushed and looked down at the table. “Yes it was.” Pidge was ready to gag. “So, is that why you sprung for the fancy-ass old people restaurant?”

 

Lance took another long, slow, sip of his wine. “Partially,” he said finally.

 

Keith raised his eyebrow, tapping his finger on the table. “And the other part is…?”

 

“I was gonna save it to the end of the night,” He said, “It’s just…its one of those things that could turn out really well or really badly and I don’t want to ruin things.”

 

Keith stared at him quizzically. Then, his eyes went wide, “Lance, are you proposing?!”

 

“What? No!” Lance said, loudly enough several people looked over from other tables.

 

“’Cause I’m not ready to—“

 

“Keith, I’m not proposing,” Lance said “Well, not marriage anyway.” Keith frowned, even more confused. “Look, its just…I like you. I really…really, really like you. And this month…” He swallowed, visibly sweating, “This month has been so great. I was wondering if you wanted to take the next step?”

 

Keith blinked at him as Lance stared down his silverware. “You…you want to end the trial period?” Keith asked, “Tell our friends? Be boyfriends?”

 

“Obviously, you don’t have to, like, say yes,” Lance said, fiddling with his hands, “We could keep this up if you wanted, or break up, or you could just think about it and—“

 

“Yes.” Keith said over him. “Yes, absolutely,” Lance blinked at him, surprised at his certainty. “That is, if its okay with you…”

 

Lance’s smile would put the sun to shame. He stood, up walking to Keith’s side of the table, offering his hand. “C’mon, lets dance for a few minutes.”

 

Keith blinked at him, “Our food hasn’t even come yet.”

 

“I want an excuse to hold you, dork,” Lance said.

 

Keith blushed bright red, “Oh,” and takes Lance’s hand.

 

The couple moved off of the security camera and Pidge pulled her laptop to herself so she could find a new angle to watch them.

 

They all jumped at a knock on the window. “Hello!” Coran said, grinning, his voice muffled through the glass.

 

“Coran!” Allura said as Hunk opened the door, allowing him into the back seat, “How did you find us?”

 

“Hunk’s been texting me,” he said, raising his phone.

 

Three pairs of eyes turned to glare at a guilty Hunk, “He was the only one in our group not included, I felt bad…”

 

“Yes, he told me about your little investigation,” Coran said, “And I thought I had best come talk to you in person to tell you all this: Leave it be.”

 

Allura’s frown deepened, “Coran, you don’t understand, Lance and Keith—“

 

“I’m very aware of what Lance and Keith are doing,” Coran said, “As you probably have realized by now, the both of them are terrible at keeping a secret. The only difference is they know that I know. Tell me, did it occur to you to question why they were keeping their relationship secret?”

 

“Yes!” Shiro protested, “The only thing we came up with is that they were embarrassed or—or didn’t trust us or—“

 

“Did it occur to you that the both of them, knowing themselves and each other surprisingly well, had the same concerns you all did about their relationship?” Coran said, silencing them all. “Or that perhaps they knew there would be a risk to your friend group, which is why they kept it quiet, so that if something went wrong, no one would have to choose between them?”

 

Pidge could have sworn Coran’s eyes flitted over to her, but she buried herself in her laptop so she didn’t have to look back.

 

Ashamed, the four kids stayed quiet, and so Coran continued, “Truthfully, I don’t know if this relationship is wise either. But they are both adults, and more importantly, my friends. So, no matter what, I will not interfere. I suggest you all do the same.”

 

Nodding friendly at each of them, Coran exited the car once again, wandering down the street.

 

As soon as he left, Pidge pulled up the security cam footage of the dance floor, zoomed in so they could all see the Keith and Lance middle-school slow dancing, resting their heads on each other’s shoulders.

 

Hunk took a deep breath, watching them spin in circles, “You know…I’ve never seen Lance so…relaxed, before.”

 

Shiro nodded his head, watching Keith. “And I’ve never seen Keith so open.”

 

Allura put her arm on the back of her chair, resting her head in the nook of her elbow. “They balance each other out.” She tilted her head, watching, “It’s actually…kinda sweet.”

 

Pidge chewed her lip, watching the dancing couple a minute longer. Finally, she shut the laptop closed, breaking everyone out of their reverie. “Lets go home.”

 

Allura nodded and started the car.

 

 

“Hey guys,” Lance said, the next time they all went out for froyo, “I wanna tell you something.”

 

“Me too,” Keith said, putting his cup down, “I mean…I mean I have something to say too.”

 

“Oh,” Lance said, turning to him. They sat beside each other this time. “Well, why don’t you go first?”

 

“What?” Keith said back, confused “What do you mean, ‘why don’t I go first?”

 

“Well, tell us all your news,” Lance said, “And then afterwards I’ll say my news,”

 

Keith’s brow furrowed, trying to have a silent argument with Lance.

 

The rest of the friends exchanged exaggerated glances with each other. Finally, Keith swallowed and muttered, “Lance and I are dating…”

 

Lance gasped, dramatically, “That was going to be MY news!”

 

“I know it was, dickhead!” Keith said, “And I also know YOU said YOU were going to be the one to say it!”

 

“I was letting my boyfriend speak before me,” Lance teased, “Its called being a gentleman.”

 

“It’s called being a pain in my—“

 

“Congratulations, you two!” Allura cut them off before they could fight/flirt any longer, “We’re all really happy for you!”

 

“Yeah,” Shiro agreed, ruffling Keith’s hair, “Now I know why your gay ass wasn’t pining all over the place. And here I thought it was ‘cause you were more mature.”

 

“Oh, shut up, Shiro.” Keith muttered.

 

“Aw, now all your bickering makes sense,” Hunk said, looking between them, “It’s like an old married couple!” He succeeded in making both Keith and Lance blush bright red.

 

Pidge was silent a moment longer. Sighing she said, “Well at least you’ll have a way to work out your tension now.”

 

At that, everyone at the table protested, most of all Shiro who said, “I do NOT need to hear that!” Pidge chuckled to herself.

 

“This is great,” Lance said, “We were worried you guys might not approve.”

 

They all went silent, awkwardly looking at each other.

 

“Ridiculous,”

 

“Absurd!”

 

“Of course we’re happy, bro!”

 

“Not in a million years,”

 

Keith and Lance might have been suspicious of their overly cheerful reaction, but Pidge could tell looking under the table, they were too busy squeezing each other’s hands for reassurance.

 

Pidge sighed. Maybe this wouldn’t work out, still. But she would always be there to support her friends happiness.

**Author's Note:**

> let me know what you think! my tumblr is dork-empress


End file.
